Study Shows Sleep Extension Improves Athletic Performance and Mood

WESTCHESTER, Ill. – Athletes who extended their nightly sleep and reduced accumulated sleep debt reported improvements in various drills conducted after every regular practice, according to a research abstract that will be presented on Monday, June 8, at SLEEP 2009, the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.

According to the lead author of the study, Cheri Mah, M.S., researcher at the Stanford Sleep Disorders Clinic and Research Laboratory at Stanford University in California, many of the athletes who participated in the study realized for the first time the importance of sleep and how it impacts their performance during competitions.

“Traditionally, elite athletes dedicate numerous hours to daily practice, strength training, and conditioning as well as work closely with nutritionists in hopes of optimizing their athletic performance,” said Mah. “However, very little, if any, attention is focused on an athlete’s sleeping patterns and habits. While most athletes and coaching staff may believe that sleep is an important contributing factor in sports, many do not realize that optimal or peak performance can only occur when an athlete’s sleep and sleep habits are optimal.”

The study included five healthy students between the ages of 18 and 21 who were members of the Stanford Women’s tennis team. Athletes maintained their habitual sleep/wake patterns for a two to three week baseline during their regular tennis seasons. Athletic performance assessments were reported after every practice throughout the study, including sprinting and hitting drills. Athletes then extended their sleep, aiming for 10 hours a night for a period of five to six weeks. Mood and daytime sleepiness were monitored and daily sleep/wake activities were monitored through actigraphy and sleep journals. The study was conducted specifically during the regular tennis season to provide data during weekly practices as well as during tournaments and competitions.

Mah believes that findings of this study would be pertinent to other sports, in that daytime sleepiness would be reduced and mood and athletic performance would improve based on findings from initial trails of this study, which were presented at SLEEP 2007 (focusing on basketball) and SLEEP 2008 (focusing on swimming).

Information about the abstract presented by Mah at SLEEP 2008 can be found at:

The annual SLEEP meeting brings together an international body of 6,000 leading researchers and clinicians in the field of sleep medicine to present and discuss new findings and medical developments related to sleep and sleep disorders.

More than 1,300 research abstracts will be presented at the SLEEP meeting, a joint venture of the AASM and the Sleep Research Society. The three-and-a-half-day scientific meeting will bring to light new findings that enhance the understanding of the processes of sleep and aid the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders such as insomnia, narcolepsy and sleep apnea.